


As We Slow Danced Into The Sun

by orphan_account



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Drinking, Homophobia, I'm Sorry, M/M, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Slow Dancing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-20
Updated: 2016-06-20
Packaged: 2018-05-30 20:11:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6438541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was all because Eren Jaeger was bad at thinking things through. Because he never seemed to be able to do the right thing sometimes, even when he was trying as hard as he could. Because, all in all, Eren Jaeger was a fucking idiot.</p><p>And because Levi was just as much of an idiot for falling in love with him.</p><p> <br/>(Taken from that one prompt thing I can't remember, but this idea isn't original.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The rich, mellow undertone of the bass and cello, combined with a breathtaking melody preformed by the violins, and all being held together by the soothing violas was the way Levi's world ended. Not with a bang, not with a whimper, but a lonely concert in his head, and humming it out loud for Eren to hear. The words were an addition that Levi considered, only because Eren loved them. In Levi's opinion, the words made the song not as quality, but with the circumstances, Levi didn't care.

Eren looked up to him with a surprised, and sad-happy smile. "Levi." The name barely ghosted ever his lips, and Levi considered stopping what he was doing, just so that he could pin Eren against the wall one more time, taste his lips, claim his smile. He knew that he couldn't do that, though, because if he did Levi knew he wouldn't be able to contain the salty tears any longer. And if Eren saw Levi cry, Levi knew that would break him more han anything else.

Instead, Levi whispered out the words that Eren liked to apply to them, holding out his hand to Eren as if asking him to dance. The words continued to pour out his mouth unrushed and hardly above a whisper. Eren closed his eyes for a few seconds, before opening them and grabbing Levi's hand, hoisting him self from his position on the cell bed. 

 _We only have a few minutes left,_ that was the thought dominating Levi's head. He held Eren close, and, without having to say anything but the words matching the song in his head, Eren started moving with him. Steps to a slow dance that Levi taught him in secret. You see, Levi and Eren were always supposed to maintain a purely professional attitude and relationship.

That wasn't exactly how things had eventually played out. 

It all started with a request to learn how to play the piano. While it was commonly known that Levi could bring someone to tears with the music his fingers could bring forth from an instrument, it was also commonly known that Levi hardly ever played for anyone. The most that the main populace of the survey corps had heard was the times when Levi would practice, and the slightest whisper of a Song could be heard if you pressed your ear up to the door.

Eren wanted an excuse to spend more time with Levi. He passed it off as his own hero worshipping nature towards Levi. It seemed obvious he'd want to spend more time with the person He considered his role model, his idol. So He asked Levi one day to teach him how to play the piano.

"Why?" Levi had asked, taken aback by the question. Didn't the brat understand He didn't especially enjoy spending time with other people? 

"I want to play this Song my mother would hum," Eren explained, eyes glimmering with excitement, anger, and sadness at the thought of his poor mother's fate. Levi blinked a few times, and accepted. The condition was to not tell anyone, not even Armin or Mikasa. 

Eren didn't even hesitate before accepting. 

His hero worship evolved. The piano soon became more than an instrument of sound and beauty. It became an instrument of revelation. While Levi played, his face wasn't tense, or scary. No, He was actually open. He was glaringly beautiful, He was causing the melodic tones that made Eren want to taste Levi's lips. He was so, so suddenly laid out in the open. Levi was crude, brass, rude, blunt. Levi was incredible, fast, silvery. Levi was a bit OCD, he was cutthroat, driven. So incredibly riddled with imperfections.

Alive.

And Eren found him self drawn to Levi in an entirely new way.

Levi didn't expect the brat to invade his life so subtly. One moment it was just a few piano lessons, to help him feel more connected to his late mother. Then it became Levi inviting Eren up to his room to learn a tune Levi thought Eren could appreciate. It became learning favorite stars, favorite types of days. It became becoming enveloped in each other's backstory, and more importantly, becoming enveloped in each other's future.

There was a ball that the King was hosting. Levi and Eren were (obviously) separately invited, but Levi offered to teach Eren the dances that would happen. There were moments of almost intimacy found in almost every lesson, but they both pulled back. While it was obvious that the feelings were mutual, it was also obvious that they were speedily approaching the point of no return. The precipice.

And, no matter how ready you are to jump, everyone hesitates a little bit before diving headfirst.

As most things are, that hesitation, the urge to look before you fall, it was all thrown out the window. For Levi and Eren, it was at the ball they had prepared for with each other. A look was exchanged between the two before they were entering and officially announced to all the other party goers. It was a longing, mournful, lingering look. That look spurred him to, halfway through the ball, ask to talk to Eren separately, private. It may have been that moment, Levi wasn't sure, but somewhere leading up to asking to talk with Eren privately he decided.

So what if it was dangerous? When had his life been anything  _but_ dangerous. 

Levi led Eren to a room, one that was spacious but not incredibly large, and where the music could still be heard. The song ended, and a new one started. Eren's eyes widened when he recognized the tune. He stopped right in the middle of asking Levi what he needed to talk about.

"Dance with me?" Levi asked. Eren took the outstretched arm, and they danced around the room. Levi had adapted the dance when teaching it to Eren, so that two males could preform the dance just as easily as a male and a female. They danced around the room, melting into each other And forgetting that they were only a few feet and a wall away from the party. Levi's lips came a centimeter away from Eren's. . . And Eren pushed him away lightly, a sad expression on his face. 

"You don't want this, Levi." Eren whispered the words with such a broken, devastated voice that Levi felt as if his own emotions were getting shredded on the shards of Sharp glass embedded in Eren's tone. Levi did want it, he wanted everything with Eren. He wanted to dance with him, he wanted to kiss him. He wanted all those newfound experiences Eren and him could have, and he knew Eren wanted it just as bad.

So what was stopping them? 

"Eren, I believe you'll find there is not a single thing in this moment that I want more." Levi said, stating right into Eren's eyes. "Even if it's only for a second, even if it's never again, I . . . I want it. I want it all."

Eren didn't hesitate anymore. 

The only reason that Levi could easily and readily use after the ball to have Eren in his room was piano lessons. So Levi taught Eren frequently, he taught him loads. He eventually straight him the words to the song that brought them together for real, and Eren smiled at them. 

"They're like us." 

"Eh. I prefer the version of the song without the words, to be honest. He words were added years later, and infield like they betray the original integrity of the price of music a bit." That was Levi's response, which disappointed Eren a little bit, if he was to be completely and totally honest about the entirety of the ordeal.

Eren simply shrugged though. "Still, they sound nice. I like them. I like us." Levi couldn't help but agree to that, at least. Fuck the brat for finding something that was somewhat of a  trump card. He always did manage to do that. He would say something or do something simple that would unravel all the arguments like the unraveling of rope.

Their relationship grew. Erwin found out, And tried to talk to Levi about breaking off the romantic interactions concerning the beat. "Imagine if a person found out. If the information was released to the public, or even just found its way to the king. What kind of reputation would the Survey Corps have? I trust you to make the right decision, Levi."

In Erwin's opinion, Levi made the wrong choice. Levi didn't care, he was to busy deciding how to propose to Eren. Sure, the ceremony would have to be small And in secret, but it could happen. Only the closest of their friends would know, And Seren would have to wear the ring in his chain. Levi got a matching one.

They invited Erwin to the small wedding.

He didn't come.

They didn't take it personally.

Married life didn't suit them at all during their first few years together. They had all the problems of married couples, and the added stresses and conflicts due to their unique situation. Levi would get upset about the girls who aren't aware if his relationship status flirting with him, And Eren had the same problem just vice versa. The survey corps was dangerous, And they both knew that every second together could be their last.

Even that knowledge didn't stop some screaming matches. They would sometimes get to the point of being willing to call everything quits, to shout fuck you in the other's face and walk away from every brick of the life they had built together. Sometimes, they felt like they hated each other.

They persevered. Every year together made then from more in love, more willing to stay. Even with the added problems that come with life and growing older, each new year was considered better than the last. Every day was an improvement, and each week brought new surprises. They never knew enough about each other, there were always new distances they had to cross to get closer to each other than that had been previously.

And they were perfectly willing to do so, as long as it meant getting closer to each other. 

On their  seventh anniversary, Levi couldn't be there. He simply had to be on s mission, one considered ridiculously critical to her humanity. Due to complicated situations, Eren was prohibited from going with Levi. Neither really understood. The titans were actually losing by then, new discoveries with Eren's power had brought them to where the light at the end of the dark tunnel that was the war/struggle with the titans in sight. 

What was the danger in Eren going?

Still, orders were orders. There were certain ones they could sometimes bend, but others remained unchangeable. Eren And Levi would discover the reasoning behind these particular orders in a short time And unfortunate outcomes.


	2. As We Slow Danced Into Disaster

Eren never saw it coming. He was simply a lonely 27 year old, alone on his seventh anniversary. He didn't blame Levi, but he didn't resent the fact that Levi had to go. So, he did what might have been a stupid thing to do. He went to a bar. 

Now, Eren didn't plan on getting drunk. No, not in the slightest. In fact, Eren could only get slightly buzzed due to his titan nature. All he went to the bar to do was maybe see a few friends, drink a little bit, and feel less alone and abandoned on the day he had been planning on spending with Levi. He had no idea that anything might be happening around him that he was simply heartbreakingly oblivious to suspect.

He had no worries of anyone having malicious intents toward him. He had no idea someone might have an unthought of ulterior motive. After all, why would anyone? It wasn't like anyone homophobic knew about his relationship And would do anything in their power to ruin everything He And Levi had built together. 

Right?

Wrong.

While at the bar, it soon came to be realized that even though Eren could not get drunk, he could so totally get drugged from someone slipping a little something into his drink. And he was. He passed out on his face, and was dragged away from the bar by someone claiming to be a friend who w was simply helping Eren. The brown haired boy was dead unconscious for the rest of the night.

He woke up in a cell the very next morning, being told that he lost control of his titan form at a bar, and the overall decision had been that he was too dangerous to keep alive. They were going to execute him the following day. He was possibly kicked around a little bit, and several people took the time to come see him in his cell. Many spit in his face, or raised their fists to his face or body.

Eren didn't protest once. He had made a promise to himself long ago that if it became that he was too dangerous and he might hurt the people he was defending, he would let himself die. And after all, the people who had him in a cell told him that he killed twelve innocent people. The mere thought if that was enough to break Eren's morale, and his only hope at that point was that Levi wouldn't have to come and see him in the state that he was in.

Levi had been told the news by Hanji, the only one who was willing to ride out to find him and let him know. Levi immediately abandoned his mission to ride as far and fast as he could, just to maybe make it in time. When he arrived at the place holding Eren, there were only a few minutes left till Eren was to be killed. He was almost not permitted to be able to see him, but he swore on his life that he would not help Eren escape. He already knew Eren wouldn't want to escape.

So that was what brought them to where they were, slow dancing slightly out if rhythm and hoping for just a few moments more together. Eren fought tears, and Levi cleared his throat. "Eren, there's still-" he was cut off by a pained smile and glassy eyes. Eren had known Levi was probably going to try and convince him one last time, and he was right.

"No, Levi. Didn't you hear? I . . . I killed twelve innocents. _Twelve_ , Levi. Think of how many families I've destroyed, think of all the lives I've mindlessly tarnished. And all because . . . all because I thought I couldn't get drunk. I guess I can, then." Eren adopted the tiniest little bitter tint to his voice and to his sad smile. "And Levi, you promised me." Eren bit his lip, his eyes still glassy. He looked at Levi the same way he always did, like Levi was the world.

Levi swallowed roughly. He didn't want to just let these people kill the person he loved. He couldn't let these people kill his husband. But . . . He had no other choice. He truly had made Eren a promise, long ago when love was young and smiles didn't have so much of a heartbroken glint to them. Eren had told him that, while he had hopes that he had pretty much mastered his titan form, that there was definitely still a chance that he could somehow lose control. The green eyed boy had taken hours to argue with Levi about it.

The agreement ended up lasting a full week. Levi refusing to kill Eren and Eren getting mad at Levi for it. Eventually, Levi reluctantly agreed that if, only only if, Eren lost control of his titan form and hurt people, only then would Levi kill Eren. Or let Eren be killed. Only if people were hurt, however. And while neither if the occurrences had actually happened, neither of the two men knew that.

Levi sighed, looking up at Eren with utterly broken eyes. While Levi wasn't crying, Eren still felt like each second that Levi looked at him like that was dragging a knife across his skin. "Stop it with that look already, Levi. You can't change anything with that." Those words sunk in, and Levi grimaced. It was too true. He couldn't do anything to save his husband, couldn't do anything at all. And that might've been the blow that hurt the most up to this point.

"Fine. You're right. I did promise you, I just really fucking wish that I had not. You're too young to die Eren, and too loved. I . . . What am I supposed to do without you, Eren?" The last words were a small whisper, and Levi was looking down at their feet. Still dancing, still moving steadily. Eren sighed as well, moving his head to ever so gently rest on top of his husband's head. Levi grumbled about that slightly, under his breath.

"C'mon Levi. We both know exactly what you'll do without me. You'll kill those goddamn bastards that broke our walls, and one day you'll die too, but not by your own hand." Eren's words were soft, barely even there, but Levi didn't have to strain his ears to hear Eren. He could tell that the green eyed man was just a little bit content with the fact that Levi had finally agreed to honour his promise that he made all those years ago.

Levi didn't say anything else along the lines of conversation again, he just started singing the words again. He knew how much Eren liked tot apply those words to them, how they were like the peel in the song. The original song was written to be sad, and the accompanying lyrics were a sort of bittersweet that Levi may have been able to appreciate less if Eren didn't like them quite so much.

And with each step of the dance that they both took, Levi felt his heart grow heavier and heavier. Because each step was one step closer to the end if the song, and he didn't know what he would do when the song ended. It seemed to him like a sempitertnal moment, one that was never ending. It almost seed like they would be dancing forever, locked away in a little eternity of their own.

But nothing lasts forever, not in the real world at least. Before the song was even over, two burly men came into the cell and roughly dragged Eren away. Levi didn't fight them, just mouthed three little, sad words at Eren. He sat on the cell bed and put his head on his hands.

And then, hours later, he stood up and walked away.


End file.
